In the Beginning...

Hello and welcome to my blog about the things I make.

I plan to use this blog to offer informational posts about the types of work that I do... also some progress updates, photos, links.  Mostly I'm hoping to use this as a way to offer additional information about the hows and whys of what I do.

My primary interests are in enameling and jewelry-making, small sculpture, and decorative objects.

My materials are enamel (glass fused to metal), copper, silver, gold, semi-precious and not-so-precious stones, iron, steel, the precious metal clays, and all kinds of other materials.

I am fairly new to this, and in the learning process.  Some of my work that I hope to offer for will be simple, classic, with a focus on good technique and craftsmanship.  The only way to really develop this type of skill, is to do, and do and do it over and over again, until my hands know, and muscle memory takes over.

I also plan to do crazy experimental things that are impractical, time consuming, and expensive to make.  They maybe be a bit pricey, or not offered for sale at all.

Here are some examples of my stuff so far:

Cliche Bracelets

The cliche bracelets are made from copper strips stamped with letter stamps, formed into a circle, and then closed with rivets.  The entire bracelet, inside and out, is covered with enamel and fused at approximately 1500 degrees multiple times.

Copper Patina Bib Necklace

This necklace is made up of copper washers and sterling wire.  The different colors are from various patination techniques.   Patination means that metal changed color from exposure to heat and/or chemicals.  Similar effects can happen naturally.  It is why the Statue of Liberty is green.

Copper and Enamel Outlet Cover.

This is copper, copper tooling foil, and enamel.

This might be a good example of putting too much time into an item to make it practical for sale.  I suspect there is a limit to how much people want to spend on outlet covers...  but this was just too time consuming to be cheap.